


Miniature Disasters

by szm



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Gen, Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-01
Updated: 2014-01-01
Packaged: 2018-01-07 01:15:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1113771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/szm/pseuds/szm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gwen accidentally infects the Hub computers with an alien virus. Tosh is less than pleased. Ianto makes coffee and Jack is a flirt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Miniature Disasters

**Author's Note:**

> old fic moved from LJ

It was Gwen’s fault. She’d plugged a piece of alien tech directly into the hub’s main computer. This was a bad thing. 

The computers had been infected with an alien virus, which had managed to render the main interface completely useless. Tosh was on her back under her desk trying to fix it. Gwen was babbling about how sorry she was, crouching by the desk, far to close to Tosh. 

Ianto saw Tosh’s forehead crease. 

Jack thought the whole situation was amazingly funny and began to tell a tall tale that was rapidly becoming about sex, as Jack’s tales always did. 

Ianto nearly missed Tosh’s foot start to tap as he tried to bury his own, albeit differently motivated, reactions to the thought of Jack and sex.

Owen was standing on the sidelines shouting out helpful ‘advice’. 

Ianto heard Tosh’s softly muttered Japanese curses. Ianto spoke Japanese quite well (not that Tosh *knew* that of course) and spent a few interesting seconds deciding whether or not what she’d said was even physically possible, especially when you had to include “the horse you rode in on”. 

Ianto judged that this was the perfect time to slip away to make a start on the coffee. He was just finishing when Tosh’s raised voice could be heard ringing out over the hub. Ianto returned with his tray of coffee just as Tosh was reaching the crescendo of her rant.

“…and if none of you have anything of the slightest use to add, you can all just *leave me in peace*.” 

There was the shocked silence there always was after Tosh lost her temper. Ianto smiled and asked brightly, “Anyone for coffee?”

Tosh looked confused for a split second and then said “Ianto can stay, everyone else, OUT!” 

Jack, Owen, and Gwen took their coffees to go. Jack promising to “keep the kids occupied for a couple of hours” and informing Tosh and Ianto that they shouldn’t do anything he wouldn't do. He winked at Tosh as he said it causing her to blush though her anger. 

After the others had gone, Ianto found himself staring at streams of code as Tosh fiddled with something at another desk. The code suddenly disappeared. 

“Um, Tosh?” he started carefully.

“Yes?” she replied, irritation clear in her voice.

“My screen’s gone blue.” 

“Bukkoroshite yaru zo!” exclaimed Tosh. Ianto hoped she was talking to the computer.

 

Later, when Jack rang, Tosh yelled, “Tell them to go to hell!” as Ianto answered.

“Going well then?” asked Jack wryly. 

“Really, Sir” said Ianto reproachfully, “it is somewhat serious.” He heard banging from the desk Tosh was working at. He didn't look round.

Jack chuckled. “That bad? Don’t worry. I have every faith in you both. I’m going to send Owen and Gwen home, text me when it’s safe?” 

“Might be a long wait, Sir.”

“For you, Ianto, I’d wait forever,” replied Jack, and even though it was said in a teasing, flirting tone it made Ianto's stomach flip.

“Bye, Jack,” said Ianto, after he’d hung up.

“Right,” said Tosh with an air of finality. “Now I should just have to reboot the system and …”

All the computers and the lights went out. The backup lights came on, illuminating everything with a soft orange glow, but the computers were dead. Tosh looked as if she might cry. Ianto cupped her elbow and lead her gently away from the computers.

“Let’s have a coffee,” he said firmly.

 

Six hours and many coffees later, Tosh sat at her own desk typing at her computer, putting the finishing touches to fixing the damage caused by the virus.

“I can’t believe Gwen,” said Tosh, still annoyed but considerably calmer than she had been. “How many times do I have to remind people not to plug things directly into the main computer?”

“How many times do I have to remind ‘people’ to turn their screens off at night?” asked Ianto, smirking gently. Tosh had the grace to look embarrassed.

“But this could have been really serious,” argued Tosh.

“Upsetting the pterodactyl is ‘really serious’,” replied Ianto. His tone softened. “Besides, we all make mistakes.” He didn't say the names Mary, or Lisa, he didn't have to, they hung in the air as always. Tosh glanced away and then back up at Ianto's face. He smiled, and she smiled back.

“Thank you,” she said, “for the coffee, and the company.”

“What are friends for?” he asked, offering his hand and pulling Tosh out of her chair. “Home for you, now. Think happy thoughts.” Tosh left the hub waving to Ianto as she went. 

Ianto gave it ten minutes, then text an all clear to Jack.


End file.
